Super Bowl LII Takeaways

It's the biggest day of the year on the sporting calendar, and it's the one sporting event that mixes sports, entertainment, and politics, and brings everyone together around a TV for a spectacle unlike any other: Super Bowl Sunday.

With the duo of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick on the doorstep of being crowned G.O.A.T., and the Eagles trotting out their backup quarterback once again, the potential for a letdown was high. But the Eagles had other ideas and Nick Foles came up huge to give us all something to talk about at the water cooler (those of us that didn't call in sick, anyway).

The Game Itself - The Eagles came right out and set the tone from the beginning of the game. Instead of trying to be a "game manager" and trusting an outstanding defense to win the game, Nick Foles and the Eagles were aggressive in attacking the Patriots' defense, particularly with their passing attack. The Eagles still have a great trio of Wide Receivers in Nelson Agholor, Alshon Jeffery, and Torrey Smith, along with one of the best Tight Ends in the league in Zach Ertz. Foles was thus able to capitalize on having numerous targets to throw to.

This game had all the makings of a typical New England win. The Eagles felt like the better team, were in control throughout, and yet, somehow, in the fourth quarter, there was Tom Brady making big plays and giving his team the lead to the delight of Cris Collinsworth, and the chagrin of most of America.

While this narrative plays out time after time, this one was not meant to be as Brandon Graham stripped Brady for the Eagles-recovered fumble.

Where Do The Patriots Go From Here? - Tom Brady is 40, and while he was phenomenal on Sunday, he'll be 41 when training camp begins. There's also been rumors of a falling out between Belichick and team owner Bob Kraft. This Super Bowl loss felt different for New England than their previous two and this might be the beginning of the end for their dynasty. Look for the Patriots to make some moves in the off-season to keep their window open a little longer.

Commercials - Nothing that was "legendary," but I didn't think you could beat Peter Dinklage as Busta Rhymes until Morgan Freeman dropped some Missy Elliot on us. All in all, I appreciated the community theme of many of the commercials -- Dodge using MLK to sell trucks not withstanding.

Halftime Show - Opinions were generally divided on this. I've never been a big Justin Timberlake fan, and I've also felt like holograms of singers was awkward, so it was definitely not my favorite.

You Were Wrong, Brian! - I picked against the Eagles in every game in the playoffs. I've also now picked wrong in all but two Super Bowls since picking the Giants to shock the world in 2007.